Trojans fall victim to Gauchos’ power


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Last week USC rallied, scoring nine unanswered runs against UC Santa Barbara’s bullpen to slip by 9-8 at Dedeaux Field.

Tuesday, the Gauchos (18-17) got their revenge as the roles were reversed in UCSB’s 5-4 win at Caesar Uyesaka Stadium.

Focused · Sophomore first baseman Ricky Oropesa was the only Trojan to have more than one hit on Tuesday while also drawing a walk. - Brandon Hui | Daily Trojan

The Trojans (17-23, 3-12) fell to 4-11 in their last 15 games after allowing an early lead to slip away. The Gauchos used the long ball and a stellar performance from their bullpen, allowing only three hits in eight innings, to knock the Trojans off.

USC jumped out to a quick 4-0 lead in the first inning. Senior centerfielder Mike O’Neill opened the game with a double to right-centerfield followed by a soft single to centerfield from junior shortstop Joe De Pinto. Sophomore first baseman Ricky Oropesa drove in the game’s first run when his single to right field scored O’Neill and advanced De Pinto to third base.

The Trojans then got tricky, scoring a run on a double-steal of home to make the score 2-0. Sophomore right fielder Alex Sherrod, in his return from a four-game suspension after being ejected for intentionally throwing at an Arizona State batter, added a RBI single scoring Oropesa.

Sherrod came around to score later in the inning on a bases loaded single by senior centerfielder Kevin Roundtree, but O’Neill was unable to add to the lead, grounding out to pitcher Greg Davis to end the inning.

Unfortunately for the Trojans, Davis didn’t return to the mound the second inning. Instead, USC ran into a four-man buzz saw. UCSB relievers Matthew Brady, Sam Phippen, Connor Whalen and Nick Loredo held the Trojans scoreless for the final eight innings.  Whalen recorded the win.

The USC offense essentially shut down after the first inning, recording only three hits in the final eight frames. But the Trojans weren’t without opportunities — they had runners reach base in every inning but the eighth.

USC left the bases loaded in the third inning, stranded a pair of runners in scoring position in the sixth inning and couldn’t capitalize on a leadoff double by freshman Cade Kreuter in the seventh inning.

While the Trojans were sputtering offensively, UCSB combined four hits with a pair of USC errors in the third inning to cut the lead to 4-2 on a pair of unearned runs off USC junior starter Logan Odom.

The Gauchos jumped on senior reliever Shuhei Fujiya the next inning, tying the game on a Gunnar Terhune two-run homer to left field.

It was another big fly that proved to be the difference. In the seventh inning, UCSB outfielder Ryan Tregoning hit a solo home run to left field off southpaw reliever Brad Douthit.

The loss drops USC to 7-2 in midweek contests this season. The Trojans return to Dedeaux Field to open a weekend series with Pac-10 foe No. 19 Arizona at 6:30 p.m. on Friday.